Darling in the Sequel
by Wreathed In Shadow
Summary: Years upon years ago, our brave heroes loved, fought, and won side by side. Hiro and Zero Two were lost to the world, finally leaving their cage and taking flight. Now, thousands of years later, the inexorable march of time has drawn the threads of fate together once more.
1. Chapter 1

Darling In The Sequel

Chapter One

Alone and Lonesome

 _The Jian: A legend passed down from our ancestors. A bird that only possesses a single wing that found its mate.  
_ _Together, they are capable of flight. Together, they are perfect, complete, creatures.  
That was how it was always told, of course. But, for some reason, I felt this was not the whole story._

* * *

"Why am I here?" The girl asked as she looked through the hallway window, slumping against the opposing wall. Her uniform was dishevelled, though the red scarf that hung about her neck was spotless and neat. She stretched her arms above her head carelessly, watching other students stare at her as they went by. A silver pin shone from her collar.

"To learn," The old man wheezed. He pressed a button at the side of his neck, his vocal cords burned away many years ago. A lab accident had robbed him of a large portion of his right side. "One way or another." He wore a formal suit, wiry grey hair sticking out at odd angles. The girl sniggered at him. It was not often that the old man wore anything other than his lab clothes. He looked ill at ease standing in the hallway with the occasional person who was not over fifty walking by. She sniggered again.

"Doctor?" A voice called from down the hallway. A female teacher approached, her sensible heels clacking in their practiced stride. "It is an honour to have you here."

The Doctor waved his right hand with an audible whir. "No, no. Enough with that. I heard there were papers to sign? Final preparations?" The Doctors voice clicked.

"Yes, sir. Right this way." The teacher turned on her heel, motioning for the Doctor to follow down an adjacent hall. She waited patiently at the corner, as patiently as one in the presence of a renowned celebrity could.

The Doctor turned back to the girl. "Hiyatsu. Stay here. H-e-r-e." He pointed to the floor where she was standing. Hiyatsu threw him a scathing look in response, saying nothing. The Doctor watched her intently, turned to the teacher, and followed her away. His cane tapped down the hall.

So naturally, as soon as the Doctor was gone from sight, she left.

* * *

"Transfer student?" A blonde boy asked. A few students were congregated about his desk at the front of the class. There were only ten desks in the room, an even split of male and female among them. A diary sat at the corner of his desk, emblazoned upon it the schools crest: A pair of birds, a single wing extending from each of them.

"Yeah, apparently she's a real cutie too Iro." A brown-haired boy replied, leaning against Iro's desk. "And she's Yakuza. 'The Oni' Totally your type."

Iro opened his mouth to speak, eyes casually glancing towards a dark-haired girl standing to his right.

"But Zuru, that's just a rumour though, isn't it?" A blonde-haired girl said softly, cutting across him.

"It's gotta be true. I heard the Teach talking about it with Undou." Zuru replied, puffing out his chest. Kaku was the easily prettiest girl in the class. Iro smirked at Zuru's behaviour. Daki stood on Iro's left, munching loudly on some biscuits. Iro lazily flicked a stray crumb off his desk, eyeing Fume.

"That's rare." Iro said, whispering into the dark-haired girls ear. She quickly slid her phone into her skirt pocket. "You alright Fume?"

"Hm? What?" She replied, feigning ignorance.

"Worried about Tix?" Iro said knowingly. Fume was not one to break rules, often admonishing the others for using their phones in class.

Fume nodded. "He hasn't been texting back lately. He's never here either."

"He'll be here. Don't worry. After all, its Tix we're talking about." Iro replied, looking out the window. "Ki is late too."

"I reckon he's finally come to his senses. It's not like any of us want him here anyway." Firu said suddenly. He stood away from the group, his heavily styled hair unmoving as he shook his head. "If it continues like this his grades will drop so far he'll be kicked out." He walked over to stand beside a silent girl, her nose buried deep in a book.

"Tix will leave?" Kaku asked.

"He's such an idiot." Fume said, staring into the middle distance.

* * *

"And that should be it, all signed?" The Doctor asked the Teacher. Her name badge simply read 'Chi'.

"All signed." Chi replied, tapping the pile into a neat order on her desk. She stood, filing it away into a nearby draw. "I'll drop these by the principal later. It's more important to introduce Hiyatsu to her new classmates for now. Anything important to tell me before I introduce her?"

"Nope." The Doctors voice clicked, his palms outstretched in a deflecting gesture. "Nothing I can think of currently."

"It's an odd time is all. The day before the final day of term." Chi pressed. She stood and opened the door of her office, waiting for the Doctor.

"It's 8:08 in the morning, there's nothing odd about this time at all." The Doctor said, leaning heavily on his cane. He tapped past her, leading the way back to Hiyatsu. The winding halls of the school were nothing compared to the intricate pathways of his facilities. He rounded a corner and stared at the spot where he had left Hiyatsu. Problem was, Hiyatsu wasn't there.

"Maybe she went to the bathroom?" Chi offered as she stepped up beside him. The Doctor cast a glance out the window. He caught the sight of Hiyatsu slipping into a corridor across the courtyard below. She looked back up, waved at the Doctor, and disappeared. Chi looked to the Doctor. "Can you?"

"She's your problem between when I bring her here, and 4pm." The Doctor laid a metallic hand on Chi's shoulder. "Good luck."

Tix strolled down the side-alley with a despondence only matched by the dark grey sky overhead. In his hand he fumbled a silver pin. Even though he lived at the school, like all the other silver, it was not his home. That place had burned to the ground long ago.

Somewhere up ahead a man yelled "STOP!". Tix hastened to the end of the alley, building into a run. As he broke through the other end, a girl appeared in front of him.

Time seemed to slow as his brain tried to scrabble together the vision before him.

 _It was as though I had been put under a spell,_

 _Those piercing, ice-blue eyes, undercut by bright red markings,_

 _Framed by that black hair intermingled with a blood-red scarf,_

 _I was transfixed, unable to take my eyes off her._

They tumbled into each other, heads cracking together, hard. Hiyatsu was on her feet first, dragging Tix behind a nearby dumpster. She held her hand over his mouth, lifting a solitary finger to her own. Dazed, Tix didn't even question.

Footsteps thundered past the alleyway.

 _Ba-Dump. Ba-Dump._ Tix could hear his own heartbeat. "Can't you do something about that?" Hiyatsu whispered sharply.

"I can't halt my heartbeat." Tix whispered back. Hiyatsu clamped her hand over his mouth. He licked her hand accidentally. To his own surprise, she didn't taste bad. Not bad at all.

"Find a way or I will." Hiyatsu replied, slinking to the corner. She stuck her head slightly beyond, looked around, then walked back. "You're going to help me." She stated.

"That uniform… you're a student at my school?" Tix asked, "I haven't seen you around before. I'd remember."

"Good." She said, ignoring him. "You should know then how to get back then." Hiyatsu grabbed him by the wrist, tugging Tix towards the alley entrance. He refused to move.

"I'm not going back. I don't have a place there anymore." Tix stated. She pulled him harder, almost dragging him behind her. "How strong are you?"

"Strong enough." She said, then paused, looking at him. Appraising him like a fine cut of diamond. Or a slab of meat. A shiver touched Tix's spine. "So you're just like me. I'm always alone too. For one reason, or another. If you don't belong here, find a place that you do!" A sly smile creeped across her face. Wolfish. Predatory.

"And if I can't?" Tix asked.

Hiyatsu moved in close. Too close. Her hand snaked past Tix's head, planting firmly against the alley wall behind him. Barely a whisper away from Hiro's skin she whispered, "Then take one." Her tongue striking out. "Your taste makes my heart race, it bites and lingers on the tongue." She took a step back. "The taste of danger."

"What are you?" Tix stepped back harder against the alley wall, a hand raised to his now damp cheek.

"Sorry," Hiyatsu laughed, "Would you have preferred a kiss?" She leant forward, her height now lower than Tix's. She looked up and smiled. Then let it slip. "Too bad. Looks like our time's up." Footsteps pounded down the alley behind them.

"We've been looking for you." A middle-aged man said. "Why do you keep running off on your own?"

"It's not like I've got anything to do anyway." Hiyatsu replied scathingly. The man looked at Tix.

"You go to the same school as her, don't you? Your end of term is tomorrow, right? I'm sorry for any trouble she may have caused you. I remember how busy it can be." The man said. His voice was honest, his face scarred. A tattoo could be faintly seen above the collar of his black suit.

"It's fine." Tix replied. "We were just heading back to school anyway."

The man smiled, although it could also have been a leer. A car rolled up at the open end of the alley, two more men in suits stepped out. The first man pulled out a cigarette. "Well then, that's just where we were headed too." Hiyatsu stared at him with a baleful glare. He met her gaze with a hard glare of his own. "I don't think you want your father hearing this one, do you?"

Hiyatsu bowed her head like an admonished puppy. She looked at Tix, then walked to the car without a word. The man put his hand on Tix's shoulder. "What're you waiting for boy? It's going to rain. Get in."

The car ride was silent. Tix shot flickered glances at Hiyatsu whenever he could, trying to catch her eye, but she remained adamant staring out of the window. The three men in black suits who sat across from them sat with stony expressions offered no comfort either. The car pulled up outside the school. The man with the wing tattoo opened the door from the outside. "You. Out." He commanded to Tix.

Tix obeyed, sliding across the leather seat and stepping onto the sidewalk. He looked back inside the car, finally catching Hiyatsu's eye. The tattooed man began to swing the door shut. "Hold on!" Tix called, "What's your name?".

"My name?" She said. The tattooed man looked at her, arching an eyebrow. She ignored him. "You can call me Hiyatsu – " The tattooed man slammed the door shut. He placed his hand on Tix's shoulder, his grip a vice. Lowering his black glasses, his blue eyes stared into Tix's mint green.

"Stay away from her." The man said, every syllable stressed. He raised his glasses back to his eyes, patted Tix on the shoulder, then sat in the front passenger seat. The black car pulled away from the curb with a low rumble.

"Hiyatsu." Tix said, tasting the word in his mouth. Not bad. Not bad at all. The sky rumbled overhead, finally delivering its promised rain. Tix stepped through the front gate. He walked just beneath the roofline, hand trailing through the rain. The winding corridors had confused Tix when he first arrived, now he walked through them with his eyes closed, idly wondering whether Hiyatsu truly was the demon that the rumours said.


	2. Chapter 2

Darling in the Sequel

Chapter Two

 _The Sakura bloomed, as it always did, and forever will._

 _The embodiment of a soul,_

 _Unwanted,_

 _Misused,_

 _Hated._

 _And yet,_

 _Our Saviour._

* * *

Tix laid at the foot of the Sakura tree. Snuggled pleasantly between two perfectly formed roots, this had always been his spot. For a time, there was a girl who used to come here too, though after the accident he hadn't seen her again. He picked absent-mindedly at the thin silver scar that traced across the corner of his forehead. Ugly. The scars on his back itched also. Rain began to patter from above, spots of dark brown earth delighting in reprieve from the dry spring.

A sound similar to a mallet slamming into wet meat caught his attention. It came again. Tix leaned up from his spot, looking over the top of the root that shielded him from the world. He was rewarded with a girl falling into his arms.

A girl with black hair.

A girl with blue eyes.

Hiyatsu.

"Hey, you alright?" Tix said concerned. Hiyatsu looked up at him, a disparaging smile on her face. Turning his eyes beyond her, Tix saw a boy older than him lying on the ground, unmoving. He wore a white uniform that Tix didn't recognise. Hiyatsu followed his gaze, then pushed Tix away.

"Forget him. But watch your left." Hiyatsu murmured. A group of students stood there, wearing the same uniform as the boy on the ground. One stepped forward, cracking their knuckles. "If you're not careful, I'll stain your uniform the same colour as your hair." She called out to him.

"What are you doing?" Tix said.

"What does it look like? I'm baiting them of course." Hiyatsu said, stepping past Tix with a pronounced limp. She held a hand to her side and wiped a spot of blood from her nose.

"You're going to fight them all, by yourself?" Tix asked, incredulous. He caught Hiyatsu by the upper arm, causing her to step oddly. A grimace of pain lanced across her face as she stepped onto her bad ankle.

"I gotta go." Hiyatsu said through gritted teeth, shrugging him away.

"Wait." Tix said, reaching for her. She stepped away from him. "You can't fight like that. It's crazy. Besides, look at you. You can't fight them on your own."

"I'm always alone." Hiyatsu said. "It's always been that way. It always will be. I'm used to it." She stalked forwards, to her best intent trying to appear intimidating. To Tix's eyes, she appeared to be no more frightening than a dying animal.

"They'll hurt you." Tix warned.

"So what? That's not what I'm afraid of. Sooner or later they'll come after me. And if not them, then there are others. Society isn't as black and white as it used to be. After all, I am the daughter of a Yakuza clan." Hiyatsu said, moving further forwards. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some family business to attend to." She massaged her wrist, stepping into stance. The red head closed the gap between them in a flash, going in for a straight jab. Hiyatsu side stepped, caught him by the wrist, and forced him into an arm lock.

"Move and I'll break his arm." She said calmly. The remainders of the group threw their hands up in defeat. That was when the red head kicked her between the legs. Hiyatsu dropped to the groan with a loud curse, releasing the lock. The red head wasted no time, catching her across the jaw with a vicious elbow. He sat on her stomach, laying a fist to her face once, twice. The third hit Tix as he slammed into the red head, tackling him off Hiyatsu.

Tix would have used the surprise to his advantage, if he hadn't been so shocked himself. His fist broke the red head's nose. Was it his fist? Tix felt like he had taken a back seat in his own mind. He was an observer to his own actions, not the actor. His fist slammed into the boy's face again. A fury Tix had never felt before burned bright and hot within him. A righteousness akin to a god smiting the unworthy. The rain poured now, soaking their uniforms in mud as they grappled.

"HEY! YOU! STOP!" A voice barked in anger. Tix turned away from the red head, looking to the newcomer. His blood ran cold when he saw it wasn't one of the boy's friends. It was a police officer.

A soft hand slipped into Tix's. "Run." Hiyatsu said, dragging Tix along behind her. She moved fast for a girl with a sprained ankle, Tix thought. He could barely keep pace with her sprinting limp. She led them down a main road, between the many hab-blocks that formed housing districts, and into an overcrowded shopping district. They weaved further into the jumble of neon-lit alleyways until she stopped suddenly.

"That should do it." She said, slumping against the wall.

Tix, still nervous, looked back up the way they came. "How do you know?"

"Because, if I don't know where we are, how can they?" Hiyatsu grinned. It would have been a nice smile, if it wasn't stained red.

"That's like saying if you close your eyes, the world can't see you." Tix replied, still watching the alley entrance. Hiyatsu sighed, grabbed his hand, and dragged him down to sit beside her.

"You really are just like me, aren't you." She said. It may have been the way her red-marked eyes looked at him. It may have been the way her voice resonated deep within Tix, in places it had no right to. It could even have been the tilt of her head, that sent a stream of blackness cascading over her shoulder. Whatever it was, Tix sensed that there was truth to her words, and that it was a statement, not a question. She leant towards him, bloodstained teeth reflecting a neon rainbow in the dirty alley. He leant towards her, scared, afraid, and yet, at peace. Their mouths met, and to Tix, did not break apart for a long while.

Hiyatsu looked at him impishly. "You are now my Darling." She said, in the cold, dark alleyway as the rain poured down on them, soaking to the bone.

* * *

The storm passed, leaving a spectacular golden sunset in the sky. Fume placed the broom and dustpan into the store cupboard in the back of the classroom. She turned and looked back over the room proudly. Iro stood in one corner, finishing replacing the bag for the trash. "Good job today, Iro."

"You too, Fume." Iro smiled. Fume pulled her phone out and checked her messages. Nothing new. "Still nothing from Tix?"

"No. I wish he'd just talk to us. I know why he doesn't talk to Zuru, and Firu is… well, Firu. It wasn't so long ago we were all best friends." Fume said, her hands balling into fists. "I just, I just wish everything had stayed the way it had back then. Before Ki left."

Iro placed his hand on her head. "Don't worry yourself so much. Tix is a big boy, he can handle himself. Leave some of the worrying to me for a change, I'm the one who has to live with him."

That earned a light-hearted giggle from Fume. "Thanks, Iro. You always know what to say. It's odd though, that the new student didn't come today."

"A little. She might have gotten held up though, it is an odd time to be transferring after all." He looked out the classroom window. "Hey, Fume, isn't that?"

* * *

Tix staggered into the shower in his dorm room. Hiyatsu had been picked up by her black suited retinue just outside the shopping district. The tattooed man had continued to be less charming this time, leaving Tix to walk back to the dorms in the rain. Although, Tix reasoned, he seemed rather less impressed by the mud Hiyatsu had scuffed onto the leather seats. Tix turned the water hotter, almost scaldingly so. The only true way to wash, in his opinion. It warmed his chilled core, easing his muscle tiredness.

He stepped out and towelled off. He slid into a fresh pair of underwear and walked into the dorm room. Iro stood in the doorway, watching him. "Enjoy your excursion today?" Iro asked. Tix wheeled, staring at Iro, then judged by his expression that Iro didn't actually know the day's events. Tix shrugged nonchalantly. Iro closed the door, throwing his tie on his bed and undoing his top button. He laid back. "If you ever figure out the secret as to how you're allowed to waltz in and out of the school without anybody so much as batting an eye, tell me. It's boring without you around during the day." Iro said jokingly, watching Tix from the corner of his eye.

Tix sat on the edge of his own bed. He contemplated telling Iro what had happened but decided against it. Tix didn't quite believe it himself. He rolled over and slipped beneath the covers.

"Not coming to dinner?" Iro asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not tonight. I had a big lunch." Tix lied. Iro grunted in response, got changed, and left Tix alone in the dark. Tix sank into an uneasy sleep. When he awoke the next morning, a small pile of muesli bars and plastic-wrapped bread rolls sat at the end of his bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Darling in the Sequel

Chapter Three

 _Bound by fate,_

 _Parted by time,_

 _Once again,_

 _The stars realign._

"Hey guys, someone's in our mess hall." Iro said, pulling his head back from the doorway. Two long wooden tables stretched down either side, far too many seats for the nine students who boarded there. Hiyatsu sat at the far end of the left table, drizzling honey on top of a stack of pancakes. She licked a runaway trail off the side of her hand. There was a faint purple blemish beneath her right eye.

"Who is it?" A red-haired girl asked. She was around the same height as Zuru, her head only reaching Iro's shoulder. Zuru approached from behind, whistling tunelessly. "Shh." She hushed. "Someone's in there." She poked her head around the corner, squinting at the newcomer.

"You aren't the boss of me, Mirai." Zuru said, walking into the hall. He grabbed a bowl, splashed milk in, then coated the top with coco-pops. With a move Zuru thought casual, he slid down beside Hiyatsu. "Hey baby, what's your sign?"

His questionable advance was rewarded by Hiyatsu wiping a honey-coated hand down his chest. Kaku giggled from behind Mirai and Iro. "That was terrible, even for Zuru." Daki stood next to her, torn between staying with the group and laying his hands on the serving platters of food. Gripping Daki by the wrist, Kaku lead him in. Mirai followed, her elbow clipping the back of Zuru's head as she passed, starting the usual morning argument.

"There's some normality at least." Fume said, appearing at Iro's side. "Tix going to come down this morning? I know you took him dinner last night." They walked down the centre aisle together.

"He'll be along soon. He was in the shower when I left." Iro replied, handing Fume the bowl she was reaching for. She passed him the platter of eggs in return. Methodically, they went back and forth, having memorised each other's breakfast patterns over the long years they had boarded together. They turned away from each other, Fume going to sit with the girls, Iro with the guys.

"She can't be too nice, not with that bruise under her eye." Mirai whispered across the table to Kaku. They sat a good few seats away from Hiyatsu.

"Leave her alone," Fume said, "We don't even know why she's here yet." Mirai grimaced at the rebuke, settling back into her seat. Seika sat down beside Fume, laying open her book.

"Do you really think she's Yakuza?" Seika said dispassionately, "Besides, I doubt they'd let a criminal into the school." Pushing her glasses back up her nose, Seika gave Hiyatsu an appraising look. Across at the guys table, Daki ladened up his plate with bread.

"She's nothing like the rumours said." Daki whispered to Iro, now putting loaves into his pockets for later.

"She's sort of ruining her good looks with the way she's eating." Iro replied under his breath. The chair next to Daki slid out, Zuru taking his normal seat. Tix walked in soon after, his footsteps quiet. Hiyatsu sniffed, turning away from her food and looking him directly in the eye. A hot flush began to creep up Tix's neck as everyone else turned to look at him too. He continued onwards regardless, meagrely covering his plate with egg, sausage, and bacon before sitting down a seat up from Iro.

In a single movement Hiyatsu picked her plate up and pushed herself away from the table. Her high-tops padded across to behind Tix's seat. Dragging him, seat and all, away from the table, she proceeded to sit in his lap, snaking an arm across the back of the seat to balance herself. With her other hand she laid her plate in her lap, then picked up a piece of pancake between her fingers. "Here, this is really nice and sweet. Let's eat together, okay?"

"I can't believe you healed so quickly." Tix said, looking at her bruise. "You were limping yesterday. I doubt running away helped." Hiyatsu smiled at him.

"You were great." She said, stroking a curl of his hair back. Her finger traced a line down the side of his jaw, crossing his lips. "Dah-ling"

The room broke into a chorus of shocked replies. Iro winked at Tix and gave him a thumbs up, Zuru took a step back, clutching at his chest like he was having a heart attack. Fume sat quietly, un-reacting. Seika didn't even look up from her book.

"That's enough everyone," Chi said, standing in the doorway, Firu at her side. "I see you've already met your new Silver. Her name is Hiyatsu, and she'll be taking the empty place from now on."

"On the last day of term?" Fume asked, "Will she be staying here from now on?"

"Yes." Chi replied curtly. "Her room has been prepared. Fume, she's on ground floor, room two. Take her there once she's finished eating." She looked towards Tix and Hiyatsu, distaste apparent on her face. "Do get off him Hiyatsu, this is a school."Hiyatsu only smiled wider, offering Tix another slice of pancake. Her teeth seemed oddly canine, tending more towards points than a natural edge. "Come on, you know where your seat is." Chi stated.

"Aw, but this one is so much more comfortable." Hiyatsu replied, placing her plate on the nearby table and standing. She took Tix's hand in her own, pulling him after her.

"What are you doing now?" Chi said, her impatience beginning to show.

"I'm taking my seat with me." Hiyatsu replied, as though she were stating the obvious. Chi gave her a warning look, which Hiyatsu promptly ignored.

"That's enough. Hiyatsu. Hallway. Now." Chi said, her voice losing any pretence of kindness. Tix stopped following, shocked. Chi never took that tone towards any of them. Looking over her shoulder, Hiyatsu shot a glare at Chi, which withered to hardened indignance underneath Chi's own stone-hard gaze. Head hanging low, Hiyatsu brushed past Chi, out into the hallway.

"You can't be running off whenever you please." Chi reprimanded.

"I just wanted to eat with my Darling." Hiyatsu replied, staring back into the mess.

"It doesn't matter. You're here for you own protection. We can't do our job if you don't let us." Chi replied, unrelenting. "Don't tell them why you're here. We don't need any more unnecessary wanderings."

"First my family traps me here. Now I'm not allowed to be honest. It feels like you're forcing the worst out of me. I think I'm going to suffocate here." Hiyatsu replied in whispered fury. A security camera hidden in the corner of the hallway whirred to focus on Hiyatsu's face.

"That's my girl, stick it to 'er, Hiyatsu." A man said, pouring a glass of faintly glowing amber liquid in front of him. With a three-fingered hand, he lifted the glass to his lips, draining it in a single gulp. "Ah, yeah. That's the stuff. So what's so important about my daughter that you're having her locked away in that birdcage?"

"She is a very rare specimen. I've only seen three of her like before, and I have lived far longer than I had any right to." The Doctor said, watching the monitor before him intently. _She bears a striking resemblance, as does he,_ the Doctor thought, _If it is them, then I guess it's only fair I make reparations._

Authors note: You can replace coco-pops with whatever breakfast cereal you ate as a kid, and generally adults don't. Cap'n Crunch, Lucky Charms, Frosty flakes, etc.


End file.
